Expat retirees campaigning for their pensions to be unfrozen have written an
open letter to the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.

The letter, which was organised by the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP), focuses on the impact that the frozen pensions policy is having on Commonwealth citizens, and implores her to help "ensure all Commonwealth pensioners receive the pension they deserve".

Over half a million recipients of the British state pension living abroad in mainly Commonwealth countries do not receive annual increases, meaning that their spending power is eroded year on year. Many have found it difficult to survive as the cost of living rises, and have been forced to return to Britain.

Those pensioners living in Europe, or countries which have a reciprocal social security arrangement with the UK, are not affected by the policy.

In the letter, the ICBP says that freezing pensions not only “traps older people in poverty”, but “impinges on travel between Commonwealth countries and weakens the ties between them”.

“By forcing people to return home from where they have retired, or putting people off from leaving Britain to their retirement location of choice the frozen pensions policy interferes with movement between Commonwealth countries,” the letter reads.

“This affects people born in the UK, and people born in frozen countries who contributed their working lives to Britain and want to retire at home.

“Your Majesty, we hope that in your Diamond Jubilee year progress can be made to end this unfortunate situation."

Senior figures at a number of organisations have co-signed the letter, including Frank Cooper, president of the National Pensioners Convention and John Sykes, chairman of the Equality for Veterans Association.

John Markham, UK parliamentary director of the ICBP, said: “The frozen pensions policy unfairly discriminates between people depending on where they choose to retire. If you retire to the EU or the USA you will be able to enjoy your pension in full, but if you retire to most of the Commonwealth countries you will lose out.

“As we celebrate Her Majesty’s decades of service to the Commonwealth we hope that equal treatment for her subjects is in reach.”

Although most pensioners affected by the policy are in Commonwealth countries, other nations are also home to a large number of people with frozen pensions; including India (5,060 pensioners), Pakistan (4,480) and Thailand (2,800).

Telegraph Expat is supporting the campaign to uprate British expat pensions. Find out more about the plight of British pensioners abroad here.